Rep. Jim McGovern is the most recent member of Congress and the first in the Massachusetts delegation to announce that he will not attend the circus that Speaker Boehner and Israeli PM Netnayahu have concocted to bring Netanyahu in front of the Congress to push his opposition to a treaty to keep Iran from joining the world nuclear armed powers. Boehner betrays the long standing recognition that the Executive branch implements our foreign policy within the legal framework established by Congress. He betrays the consensus that the US should not help one party party in elections in our allied nations.
Netanyahu betrays democracy in his own nation by bringing his campaign to the US. He betrays the taxpayers of the US, without whose support life in Israel would be more difficult and dangerous. He betrays humanity by trying to torpedo the negotiations at keeping nuclear weapons out of Iran. He makes it clear that he is the the instigator of the bad blood between himself and Obama, failing to consult with the President of the US before appearing before the Congress.
During Netanyahu’s speech in front of Congress before his last election, he received the usual polite standing ovations from the Members. He turned that appearance into campaign TV ads implying that he had the unanimous support of the US Congress.
Boycotting his appearance is not a bad tactic but there is a stronger one available: attend and turn your back on him. The Israeli public will not hear much about a boycott. They will hear about a public shaming and Netanyahu deserves it. Leave a copy of the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty, which Israel refuses to sign, on the rostrum before he speaks.
Christopher says
I’m not a fan of the Israeli PM, but turning one’s back is rude and even boycotting is petty. If I were in Congress I would go and hear what he has to say, knowing full well I’m likely going to want to find the nearest camera and mic to explain why I disagree with him ASAP. I don’t like that he was invited in an attempt to shame the President, but as a separate branch of government it has every right in the world to invite whomever they wish to address them without the President’s permission.
SomervilleTom says
I’d say it’s long past time to be rude towards Mr. Netanyahu.
If he succeeds in his goal of derailing a nuclear arms agreement with Iran, he will deserve much more than just rude behavior.
Bob Neer says
Netanyahu is a head of state and should be treated with respect. Not attending is a better way to demonstrate one’s disapproval: then the time can be spent attending to business, or with one’s family, or any other of a host of more constructive ways to spend the time. The primary fault in any event is Boehner’s for playing politics with Israel in this way. Of course, the long-term damage will probably be to Israel insofar as the American public decides the country is allied with the GOP and taking sides in our domestic politics.
Christopher says
…Netanyahu is the head of the government. The Israeli President is the head of state.
TheBestDefense says
has also announced she will be boycotting the Netanyahu appearance before Congress.
TheBestDefense says
by Rep Betty McCollum of Minnesota about why the Netanyahu appearance in front of Congress is inappropriate in the extreme, including commentary from Israeli political observers.
She will boycott the speech.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-i-wont-be-attending-benjamin-netanyahus-speech-in-congress/2015/02/26/ebaf5afa-bdd4-11e4-bdfa-b8e8f594e6ee_story.html?wprss=rss_opinions
bob-gardner says
What’s really unacceptable is attending the speech and not protesting.